Tag: skin rash

Rappahannock Health District Provides Tips to Swim Safe, Stay Safe this Summer

May 20, 2025
Media Contact: Jaleesa Turner, Jaleesa.turner1@vdh.virginia.gov

Rappahannock Health District Provides Tips to Swim Safe, Stay Safe this Summer
2025 Healthy & Safe Swim Week is May 19 to 25

FREDERICKSBURG, Va. – The summer swimming season kicks off with Healthy & Safe Swimming Week, May 19 to 25. The Rappahannock Health Department offers guidance to prevent illness, injuries and drowning, and to ensure a safe summer of swimming at the pool, in open waters or at the beach.

“While water can bring fun and connection, it also comes with risks,”  said Rappahannock Area Health Director Olugbenga Obasanjo, M.D. “Even the most joyful moments near water can take an unexpected turn. We encourage families to take simple steps — like supervising children closely and using life jackets near open water — to help make every water activity a safe one.”

Healthy Safe Swim Week May 19-25, 2025

According to the CDC, drowning is a leading cause of death in children. In Virginia, nearly 500 people have accidentally drowned between 2020 and 2024. Of those who drowned, 90 were ages 19 and younger. Knowing how to swim is one of the best ways to reduce the risk of drowning. If drowning has occurred and the victim is not breathing, bystander-initiated CPR is the most effective way to promote a positive outcome.

Swimming in lakes, rivers, and other natural waters can be fun, but it’s important to stay safe and healthy. These waters can sometimes carry germs that cause  swimming-related illnesses, diarrhea, skin rashes, pneumonia or flu-like illness and irritation of the eyes or respiratory tract. To protect yourself and your family, avoid swimming after heavy rain, don’t swallow the water, shower after swimming, and stay out of the water if you’re sick. Adults should actively supervise  children and wear U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets near open water. “Floaties,” arm bands or water wings are not safety devices. Taking a few simple steps can help keep your time in the water safe and enjoyable:

  • Don’t swallow the water when swimming. A mouthful of water with germs can make you sick for 2-3 weeks.
  • Wash with soap and water before and after swimming. Wash your hands for 20 seconds before eating or preparing food.
  • Cover any open wounds or cuts. Don’t swim if your skin has cuts or open wounds.
  • Don’t swim or play in water if you or your child has been sick with diarrhea in the past two weeks. Diarrhea and swimming don’t mix!
  • Use swim diapers on infants and toddlers. Check swim diapers regularly. Take kids on hourly bathroom breaks.
  • Thoroughly dry ears after swimming to avoid swimmer’s ear.
  • Avoid going in water if there is a green film on the water or if the water is cloudier than usual. Some harmful algal blooms can be dangerous.

Visit swimhealthyva.com for more information on pool safety and open water and beach safety. Remember: swim safe, stay safe!

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Harmful Algal Bloom Advisory Issued for Blackwater River arm of Smith Mountain Lake in Bedford, Franklin, and Pittsylvania Counties, VA

June 6, 2023
Media Contact: Linda Scarborough, Linda.Scarborough@vdh.virginia.gov

Harmful Algal Bloom Advisory Issued for Blackwater River arm of Smith Mountain Lake in Bedford, Franklin, and Pittsylvania Counties, VA

Public Advised to Avoid Water Contact in Affected Areas

(Roanoke, Va.) – The Blackwater River arm of Smith Mountain Lake in Bedford, Franklin, and Pittsylvania counties are experiencing a harmful algal bloom (HAB). The public is advised to avoid contact with the water until algal concentrations return to acceptable levels. The reported blooms have produced blue/green discoloration and algal scums that should be avoided. Some harmful algae, called cyanobacteria, can cause skin rash and gastrointestinal illnesses, such as upset stomach, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. The area to avoid can be seen on an interactive Harmful Algal Bloom map.​ A status report containing the advisory area may be viewed at Smith Mountain Lake – Blackwater River HAB Status Report June 6, 2023.​

Sample results from collections on June 1 indicated a swimming advisory is necessary due to unsafe levels of cyanobacteria, which have the potential to produce multiple toxins. Toxin results at these sites are pending but will not change the advisory. People and pets are advised to avoid swimming, windsurfing and stand-up-paddle-boarding, as well as other activities that pose a risk of ingesting water in this area. Activities such as boating may continue with proper precaution in the advisory area. Follow-up samples indicating algae and toxins are below levels of concern are necessary to lift the advisory – dates of next sampling are to be determined.

​​​​​The areas within the Blackwater River arm of Smith Mountain Lake where samples were collected:


Blackwater River

  • Unnamed Creek cove; Blackwater River at Kemp Ford Road
  • Blackwater River cove at Virginia Key Trail
  • Blackwater River cove near Anthony Ford Landing

Algal blooms can occur when warm water and nutrients combine to make conditions favorable for algal growth. Most algal species are harmless. However, some species may produce irritating compounds or toxins. Avoid discolored water or scums that are green or bluish-green because they are more likely to contain toxins.
To prevent illness, people should:

  • Avoid contact with any area of the lake where scums are present or water is green or blue-green or an advisory sign is posted,
    WHEN IN DOUBT, STAY OUT!
  • Not allow children or pets to drink from natural bodies of water.
  • Keep children and pets out of the areas experiencing a harmful algal bloom and quickly wash them off with plenty of fresh, clean water after contact with algal scum or bloom water.
  • Seek medical/veterinarian care if you or your animals experience symptoms after swimming in or near an algal bloom.
  • Properly clean fish by removing skin and discarding all internal organs and cook fish to the proper temperature to ensure fish fillets are safe to eat.
  • Contact the Harmful Algal Bloom Hotline at 1-888-238-6154 if you suspect you experienced health-related effects following exposure to a bloom.
  • Visit SwimHealthyVA.com to learn more about harmful algal blooms or to report an algal bloom or fish kill.

The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) and the Virginia Harmful Algal Bloom Task Force, which includes the VDH, the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, and the Old Dominion University Phytoplankton Laboratory, will continue to monitor water quality in the lake. In general, advisories will be lifted following two consecutive test results (a minimum of 10-days apart) with acceptable levels for algal cell counts and/or toxin concentration. An advisory may be lifted or maintained at the discretion of the health department. For example, after one test an advisory may be lifted if results are within safe levels for swimming if other information indicates exposure or human health risk is low. The Harmful Algal Bloom map is updated to reflect the HAB advisory status of the Blackwater River arm of Smith Mountain Lake. The recent advisory extent is summarized in the Smith Mountain Lake – Blackwater River HAB Status Report June 6, 2023. For more information visit www.SwimHealthyVA.com.